RT @netw3rk: "Mr. Lil' Wayne, nothing personal, we just feel that your absence is integral to our success. Your truly, Sam Presti." 8 hours ago
People laughed when I said OKC had more talent RT @SI_LeeJenkins: San Antonio may have a better coach and system, but OKC has better players 8 hours ago
Uh, OK. You get Kawhi. I'll take KD. You make sense. RT @stackmack: Y'all can be hyped over KD. I'm jacked over Kawhi. Man. 8 hours ago
I hate when sports writers try and "coach" the games they're covering. If you don't like the way teams are running stuff, grab a clipboard. 8 hours ago
You're not a coach RT @DarnellMayberry: Stop wasting time trying to get it to Durant....If he ain't open, go to the other side of the court! 9 hours ago
As if the newspaper industry needed any more bad news, the New Orleans Times-Picayune will cease daily print production and only produce a print product three days out of the week (Wednesday, Friday, Sunday). It is an unprecedented move for a paper of its size, and a paper so integral to the fabric of its readership. After all, this is a community known for its crime and ill intent from political figures, with a shoddy school system. There is a comfort knowing there are watchdogs looking at their every move, and now that security takes a hit with this news, along with the fact that a relative equal amount of work will be done by less people as the paper is expected to make significant cuts.
The paper will still manage an online product, but that is more than a few steps behind. One publication even labeled it “dated.” Plus, with a city that is not wired, it proves to be a battle to try to maintain a relevance with primarily a web presence. But the print product was important to New Orleans – still – and this is a shame. The paper fed of its relentless coverage of Katrina and the aftermath, critically acclaimed for its work during that time period and earning the beloved respect of its readers.
It saddens me to see this, but it’s even more disconcerting knowing what the consequences could be. Should this turn out a relative success, it can be assured more papers will follow. It’s selfish of me to say this, but as a longtime aficionado of newspapers, I don’t want to see this work. People need the print product. It is my opinion that newspapers’ downfall was its stubbornness to adapt to online, and, even more so, find a way to generate good revenue from its web products. That stubbornness set them back a few precious years that were costly, giving readers no choice but to find their news elsewhere. It’s my opinion that the print product can successfully complement the online product, making each entity valuable. But few, if any, have come even close to doing so, and that’s scary. It is ultimately responsible for the slow death most are dying. The majority of these so-called smart, forward-thinking individuals that head newspapers have yet to figure out how to make their paper’s print and online products viable and complementary to where each is somewhat dependent on the other’s success.
Hopefully, this wakes up a lot of the higher-ups at newspapers. It flat out sucks that it had to take a paper of great magnitude like the Times-Picayune to fall, but, it is what it is. It is time for a lot of prominent people in newspapers to make some decisions. Now, many will wait and expire time and see what happens to the Times-Picayune, but by then it will be too late. The smart ones are already devising plans and budgeting a game plan so that they won’t have to sniff a similar fate. Hopefully, as a journalist and newspaperman at heart, I only hope the former don’t outnumber the latter.
Last weekend, Saturday Night Live parodied Stephen A. Smith, arguably the most annoying sports media personality of all time (Skip Bayless, however, REALLY wants this title).
Anyway, it was terrific. Props to Mr. Jay Pharoah for the brilliant execution:
And then there was this. Also pretty awesome.
The icing on the cake to all of this would be for the real Stephen A. Smith to understand how ridiculous and bombastic on TV he really is. I actually believe Stephen to be a good guy. He’s a great journalist. He handled the whole thing quite well, better than I thought he would, and it is my belief that his television persona has completely demeaned his credibility as a journalist. He knows his stuff, that’s for sure. But he doesn’t express it well at all on television.
Good guy, like I said. But just needs to take it down a notch … or 100.
It’s been quite the lengthy hiatus from this blog. To be honest, I’ve been scattered somewhat, trying to regain my footing securely in the sports journalism world. If anything, it’s been a period of self evaluation the last few weeks, and that’s certainly more of a good thing than a bad one.
Over the last month or so, I attempted a try as a writer for an obscure high school sports publication in the Valley. That only lasted a week, though my effort toward the venture was much greater. I wrote 5-6 articles per day for the website while progressing the publication’s social media as much as I could in the time given. While I was intrigued with its potential and the experience of working in magazines, it just didn’t work out. In the end, there were differences and arrangements I was uncomfortable with, so I departed. Now I’m back in Corpus Christi (a city I have quickly grown enamored with), buying time until the next right opportunity arises. Things could be a lot worse.
I am freelancing at the moment and am trying to network as much as possible. In recent weeks, I have written for the San Antonio Express-News and Corpus Christi Caller-Times. I enjoy it a lot. I’m back doing what I love – sports writing – and covering games and traveling and getting even more acquainted with South Texas. The past three weeks (also while with the magazine) have taken me to Weslaco, Pharr, Robstown and Falfurrias. While I would never turn down an avenue back to running my own sports department, I do want to write and report. Those are my strengths, and I know it’s just a matter of time before I get back there.
For those who care, here are some of the games I’ve covered:
To be honest, I have no idea what my next step is. I suppose that is exciting. It’s nerve-wracking as well. I’ve entertained the idea of starting up my own magazine or website, covering sports either in the Coastal Bend or Valley. Before that, however – before I offer all my energy and time to that start-up – I want to make sure I’ve exhausted all possible options. I don’t believe my newspaper sportswriting career is by any means over, but time is money.
In the meantime, I’ll freelance, spend more time developing this blog, spend some time visiting family and continue to hunt. The year has already been a rollercoaster, and it’s not even halfway over. But everything happens for a reason, and while patience is not my greatest strength, it’s something I’ve grown content with while waiting for the next door to open.
I completely trust that that will happen sooner than later.
In the meantime, I leave you with a couple of images from two of my favorite sites I’ve traveled to the last few weeks, Weslaco and Robstown, both representing great baseball, yet one clearly more obscure (Weslaco) than the other.
Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant will be joking around all the way to the 2011-12 NBA championship. Silva On Sports has the Thunder beating the Miami Heat in seven games in the Finals. (AP PHOTO)
After a frenetic, hurried regular season, the NBA’s postseason tips off Saturday. Unlike my preseason awards picks, my preseason playoff picks were, more or less, the same. I’m actually quite proud. Kind of.
In the East, I picked, in order: Chicago, Miami, New York, Indiana, Atlanta, Orlando, Boston, Philadelphia. In reality, it was, in order: Chicago, Miami, Indiana, Boston, Atlanta, Orlando, New York, Philadelphia. I got the teams right, just the seeding varied through the middle of the pack. Of course, the East should have been the easiest conference to pick.
In the West, I picked, in order: Oklahoma City, Dallas, the Clippers, Portland, Memphis, the Lakers, San Antonio, New Orleans. In reality, it was, in order: San Antonio, Oklahoma City, the Lakers, Memphis, the Clippers, Denver, Dallas, Utah. I whiffed completely on the Hornets and really underrated Denver. I also completely underrated the Spurs, and I obviously missed the boat on Portland.
So, here’s what we’re looking at in the first round matchups: in the East, it’s (1) Chicago vs. (8) Philadelphia, (2) Miami vs. (7) New York, (3) Indiana vs. (6) Orlando and (4) Boston vs. (5) Atlanta. In the West, it’s (1) San Antonio vs. (8) Utah, (2) Oklahoma City vs. (7) Dallas, (3) the Lakers vs. (6) Denver, (4) Memphis vs. (5) the Clippers.
In my preseason picks, I chose Oklahoma City and Chicago to square off in the Finals. I’m changing that. Not knowing exactly how healthy Derrick Rose and Rip Hamilton really are for the Bulls (I think they’re far from 100 percent, really), I’m going with a Oklahoma City-Miami Finals, with the Thunder (who I did pick to win it all) prevailing. As badly as I would like to see LeBron James get his ring, there is simply not enough quality depth around him. Thunder get by the Heat in 7.
But that’s still quite a ways down the road. Here are my picks for the first-round matchups:
EAST
(1) CHICAGO BULLS vs. (8) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS … season series: 2-1, Chicago … SILVA’S PICK: BULLS IN 5
The Bulls are the best defensive team in the NBA, and while I think they’ll fall a lot sooner in these playoffs than many might think (as in, the second round), it won’t be against the Sixers. To beat the Bulls, Philadelphia will have to thrive in transition, and while that might work enough to earn a win, it won’t be enough over the course of a series. You have to win in the halfcourt in the playoffs, and Philly simply can’t. Chicago is too good defensively. It will force Philadelphia into the halfcourt and into shooting jumpers. Philly’s Evan Turner said he would rather have the Bulls than to play Miami in the first round. Now he’s got them. He won’t like the outcome. The Bulls will roll, and they would roll even if Derrick Rose and Rip Hamilton weren’t playing. I just don’t care much for the Sixers.
(2) MIAMI HEAT VS. (7) NEW YORK KNICKS … season series: 3-0, Miami … SILVA’S PICK: HEAT IN 6
The Heat are vulnerable against teams that can shoot the 3, which New York does, and quite well. However, the playoffs are won around the rim, and that’s where Miami will hurt the Knicks. Miami averaged almost three more free-throw attempts than the Knicks in their games this season, and almost SEVEN more rebounds per game. I expect the Knicks to catch fire and win a couple of games, but the Heat will be too much in the paint and in transition, capitalizing on the long misses from whenever New York does miss from distance. The key matchup in this one will be Amare Stoudemire-Chris Bosh. If Stoudemire can win that matchup, things will get interesting, but that is a favorable matchup for Bosh, and I assume the Heat know that. I expect a steady dose of Bosh touches, and I expect LeBron James to absolutely have a field day against the Knicks. He knows these playoffs are his for the taking, and it starts with a marquee matchup in the Big Apple.
(3) INDIANA PACERS VS. (6) ORLANDO MAGIC … season series: 3-1, Orlando … SILVA’S PICK: PACERS IN 6
Even with Dwight Howard unavailable for the Magic, I still think Orlando will steal a couple of games. Stan Van Gundy is a brilliant coach, and I think the Pacers will let their guard down a few times. Indiana has so much pressure on them to simply breeze through this series, that it may tighten late. The Magic should let Roy Hibbert get his points but lock down everyone else. They’ll have to keep hitting from deep, and I think they will, and it’s an absolute must that they keep Indiana off the free-thr0w line and out of transition. It seems like a lot to ask, but I expect the Magic to be playing with a Goliath-sized chip on their shoulder. It still won’t be enough to knock off a deep and balanced Indy squad, however.
(4) BOSTON CELTICS VS. (5) ATLANTA HAWKS … season series: 2-1, Boston … SILVA’S PICK: CELTICS IN 5
The Hawks not having Al Horford is just as essential as the Magic not having Dwight Howard. Horford offers a versatile power dynamic for the Hawks that they otherwise lack, and now they have no interior game and no threat to pull Boston’s bigs away from the basket, meaning Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass and Greg Steimsma can just sit back, protect the rim and rebound. If Atlanta is to upset Boston, it will have to from the perimeter, and that’s not happening with the best defensive backcourt in the playoffs wearing the green and white. Expect to see a breakout playoff debut for Avery Bradley, as well as a field day for Rajon Rondo. Easy pickin’s for the Celtics.
WEST
(1) SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS. (8) UTAH JAZZ … season series: 3-1, San Antonio … SILVA’S PICK: JAZZ IN 7
Ah, yes, my upset special. I can hear Spurs fans frothing at the mouth right now. But let’s take the facts: The Spurs struggle against size. Prime example is their 4-2 ouster to Memphis in last year’s first round of the playoffs. In fact, the situation is eerily similar – last year, the Spurs were the 1 seed; Memphis was the 8 seed. No one even dared giving the Grizzlies a shot. Like deja vu. Utah has the luxury of throwing big after big after big at the Spurs: Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter. All are mobile bigs with height, not unlike Memphis’ Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. I expect Utah to make a high percentage of its shots, with its inside attack, and limiting the Spurs’ transition opportunities. Having size also means this: Utah won’t have to double team a Tim Duncan, for instance, and can afford to stick with the Spurs’ plethora of shooters, which is absolutely crucial. San Antonio will have to win this series with its perimeter firepower, and with Devin Harris playing out of his mind lately, I don’t exactly expect a cakewalk for Tony Parker. Not enough people are giving Utah credit. The young club stepped up and rose to the occasion in the last month to earn the last playoff spot, beating teams with its interior depth and timely shooting. Almost every game over the course of April was a playoff game for Utah, and it survived. The Jazz are smart and don’t beat themselves. This is a scary matchup for the Spurs.
(2) OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS. (7) DALLAS MAVERICKS … season series: 3-1, Oklahoma City … SILVA’S PICK: THUNDER IN 5
The Thunder shall roll (no pun intended) through this one. Too much firepower for Oklahoma City. The biggest thing is that the Thunder have gotten to the free-throw line with ease against the Mavs, averaging 31 attempts to Dallas’ 19 this season. The Mavericks’ have no answer for the Thunder, and OKC knows it can attack the rim at will against Dallas. Oklahoma City is playing with something to prove. This will be Russell Westbrook’s series to take control of, and he will. The defending champs will go out with a whimper.
(3) LOS ANGELES LAKERS VS. (6) DENVER NUGGETS … season series: 3-1, Los Angeles … SILVA’S PICK: LAKERS IN 6
Tempted to go with another upset here, but the playoffs are won by rebounding and defense, and Los Angeles certainly owns those facets in this series. The Lakers will play this series without their best perimeter defender in Metta World Peace, and that could hurt them against the likes of Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington. Fortunately, the Nuggets don’t have too much size, and their beloved transition attack doesn’t win playoff series’. Ramon Sessions and Andrew Bynum will have to play big, and I expect they will. The Lakers will beast on the boards (they outrebounded Denver by 6.5 caroms in their games this season) and they held the Nuggets to a measly 22.6% marksmanship from 3. To beat the Lakers, you have to be able to hit from the outside since odds are you won’t get anything going inside against the likes of Bynum and Gasol. Not good for Denver.
(4) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES VS. (5) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS … season series: 2-1, Memphis … SILVA’S PICK: GRIZZLIES IN 6
Memphis is my darkhorse in the West. Too much size. Too much defense. Great perimeter play. It’s too much of a headache to try to game-plan stopping Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol on the inside, AND Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo on the perimeter. I really like Memphis; it would really not surprise me at all to see them make a run to the Finals. They’re that good. The Clippers are a solid team, but they’re just not ready. DeAndre Jordan has been too off and on this season, and I don’t feel too secure having to rely upon the likes of Reggie Evans, Nick Young and Randy Foye. I also don’t expect Blake Griffin to counter the Grizzlies’ physical nature; in fact, I think Memphis could very easily take Griffin off his game early and often if it so desires. The only Clipper I expect to rise up is Chris Paul, but it won’t be nearly enough. This Grizzlies team is loaded, and their identity plays perfectly to playoff success.
Another NBA season has come and gone, this one more unique than others – obviously – due to the 66 games played in 120 days. The playoffs loom Saturday, though there is no clear-cut favorite. I had Oklahoma City – the West’s No. 2 seed – winning it all in the preseason and I’ll stick with that pick. But we’ll get to the postseason later.
For now, here are my end-of-season awards:
MVP: LeBRON JAMES, MIAMI HEAT
To me, this race is not even close. James has far and away been the best the league has to offer this season. Even aside from the 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists per game. Even aside from the 53% field-goal percentage and 36% 3-point marksmanship. He owns a league-best player efficiency rating of 29.9, 1.6 more than the next closes in Kevin Durant. Oh, and he’s also doing this in the second-fewest minutes per game (37.8) over his career.
Say what you want about LeBron, and much has been said. But there is never a time when he is not the best player on the floor, and what makes this season impressive is his work done in the offseason to improve his game. One aspect in particular has shown vast growth: his abandonment of 3-point attempts (3.5 per game last year; 2.4 per game this year), which has resulted in more attacks near the rim (6.6 attempts at the rim this season; 5.9 last year). James has found a way to make his game even more dangerous.
James gets the easy nod over the Clippers’ Chris Paul (fifth in PER; who has single-handily transformed the culture of the Clippers; is, in my opinion, the most clutch player in the league, amidst the top 10 in points and assists in the clutch; 19.8 ppg, 9.1 apg, 2.5 spg in 36 mpg) and Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant (third-straight scoring title; 28 ppg, 8 rpg, 3.5 apg in 38 mpg).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: TYSON CHANDLER, NEW YORK KNICKS
Much like Chris Paul has turned around the Clippers’ fortunes, Chandler – the best free agent acquisition in the offseason, without question – completely altered the Knicks’ defensive fortunes. In Chandler’s first year with the team, the Knicks are fifth in the league in defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions) instead of the 23rd they were last year. Consider that their two top stars are Carmelo Anthony – just now learning the concept of defense – and Amar’e Stoudemire, who likely will never quite grasp the concept of defense.
Chandler not only defends, he leads. He guards without fouling. He yells out rotations. He holds teammates accountable. He averaged 9.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, but again, that’s only the surface. The stats don’t account for how many times he accounted for whoever blew by Anthony or Stoudemire on any given possession. It doesn’t account for shots altered.
Chandler gets the nod over the Celtics’ Kevin Garnett (holding opponents to 37% shooting on post-up plays) and the Bulls’ Joakim Noah (9.8 rpg, 1.4 bpg, but came on too late after a slow start).
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: KYRIE IRVING, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
It was not the best year for rookies, but Irving was the top pick – literally. He blew away his freshmen peers and displayed a mature offensive game for a first-year player, someone who can score on the bounce or off the pass, and someone who excels late in games. In 30.5 minutes this season, Irving averaged 18.5 points, 5.4 assists and 3.7 rebounds. His shooting numbers were healthy – 47% from the field, 40% from 3 – and here’s the real deal: according to SI.com’s Zach Lowe, Irving shot 51 percent (18-of-35) in the last three minutes of games when the scoring margin was three or fewer points, even winning such a game in Boston against the Celtics.
Irving gets the nod over the Kings’ Isaiah Thomas (11.5 ppg, 4.1 apg, only 1.6 turnovers per game, 25.8 mpg), who was the LAST PICK of the 2011 NBA Draft, and the Knicks’ Iman Shumpert (9.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.7 spg28.9 mpg), who, like Chandler, helped revive the Knicks’ defense and has become one of the top perimeter defensive players in the entire league.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: JAMES HARDEN, OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Another easy pick. You can even argue that Harden is the second-best player on the Thunder. One of the most gifted offensive performers in the league, Harden averaged 16.8 points and 3.7 assists in 31 minutes per game this season. He shot 49% from the field 39% from 3 and 85% from the free-throw line. Most impressive is the fact that he averaged his points on only 10.1 field goal attempts per game. He has a true shooting percentage (which takes into account 3s and free throws) of 65 percent. To put into perspective, the only player of the last three seasons, according to Lowe, to achieve that is Chandler, a 7-foot-1 center who did it twice. Incredible. Simply an outstanding year for the wingman.
Harden gets the easy nod over Memphis’ O.J. Mayo (12.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 apg in 26.8 mpg) and Philadelphia’s Lou Williams (14.9 ppg, 3.5 apg, 26.3 mpg).
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: JAMES HARDEN, OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Harden’s credentials have been cited. Already an electric player, he had his coming-out party in last year’s playoffs, and improved his PER this season a full five points from last year. That’s not easy to do when you’re already a primary component to a team. Harden averaged 4.6 more points per game than last season and one more rebound per game. His shooting took the biggest jump. He shot just 43% from the field and 34% from 3 in 2010-11.
Harden gets the nod over Minnesota’s Nikola Pekovic (13.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg this year to 5.5 and 3.0, respectively, last year; 10-point jump in PER) and Houston’s Goran Dragic (11.7 ppg, 5.3 apg this year to 7.7 and 2.5 last year).
COACH OF THE YEAR: TOM THIBODEAU, CHICAGO BULLS
2010-11 MVP Derrick Rose played in just 39 of 66 games this season. With how heavily Chicago is dependent upon him (he had a 32.16 usage rate last season, third in the league), it could be assumed that the Bulls would be fortunate just to hang on to a playoff spot in the East.
Nope.
Instead, the Bulls waltzed to a 50-16 overall record, good for the No. 1 overall seed in the NBA. They beat Miami by FOUR games for the top spot in the East, and relied upon the likes of John Lucas III and Taj Gibson and C.J. Watson. Um, who? But Thibodeau’s no-nonsense attitude, as well as his admirable defensive mind, paced Chicago, which is why he should win the award in consecutive years for the first time in the league’s history. Thibodeau accepted no excuses and held each and every player accountable. Not only was Rose absent most of the season, so was Rip Hamilton – the team’s prized offseason acquisition – so the Bulls were without their starting backcourt for a great majority of the condensed campaign. Thibodeau’s acute play-calling and use of his players, however, only boosted team morale, and he puts his team in a position to succeed time and time and time again.
Thibs gets the nod over San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, who again led his team to the top spot in the cutthroat West, and Memphis’ Lionel Hollins, who guided the Grizzlies to the West’s fourth seed even with star forward Zach Randolph (28 games played) and key reserve Darrell Arthur (out the entire year) missing significant time.
In light of a horrible statement on his part and its consequential effect on the south Florida community, Ozzie Guillen handled his public apology on Tuesday honestly and with great sorrow.
PHOTOS BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Ozzie Guillen blames it on a misinterpretation. What he was thinking in his native language, Spanish, he said, did not come out the way he wanted in English when speaking to a TIME magazine reporter for a recent profile that has caused great furor.
Hence, “I love Fidel Castro” was birthed, and those four words took Miami – the worst possible place to utter those four words in that order; as one columnist put it, Castro is the “Hitler of Cuban-Americans,” many of which reside in Miami and, particularly, Little Havana, site of the Marlins’ glorious new ballpark – by storm, enough to where Guillen – the new face of the reborn Marlins – has held three conferences with media to apologize, the latest coming Tuesday via a public forum, when he held an approximately 50-minute news conference to repeatedly say how he was “sorry,” “embarrassed,” “sad,” among other adjectives. His demeanor was downfallen. His mood was solemn. He was contrite. For the first time, the controversial baseball manager – who has flung around homosexual epithets, among other societal no-nos – apologized for something he said. I have never heard anyone as sincerely apologetic and remorseful as I heard and saw Guillen on Tuesday.
Prior to the news conference, the team announced it suspended Guillen for five games. But that didn’t matter, nor should it. Ozzie Guillen hurt people. He devastated a community. He crossed the line. He went too far. He doesn’t blame the Time writer. He accepts all responsibility. It was, as he said many times, a misinterpretation. In fact, when asked to clarify his statements, he stated he “admired” Castro’s lengthy reign in spite of so many who want him to fall. That, in itself, is no better than what was initially printed, but there is a world of difference between “love” and “admired.” “Love” is powerful. It’s why those four words – “I love Fidel Castro”- led the piece by the TIME writer, the first four words in the article. It makes a difference, and I’m really curious to see or hear the transcription of exactly what Ozzie said and how it was communicated to the writer.
I believe Guillen when he says he was misinterpreted. There were many times throughout Tuesday’s session in which I was confused myself. To say his English is broken is a drastic understatement; however, what struck me was how uncomfortable he looked talking in Spanish (he led off the news conference with a statement in Spanish and then answered splattered questions throughout in that language as well). I don’t know what to attribute that to, but while it was obvious to me he’s not entirely confident speaking in English, he was far from his comfort zone in Spanish as well. Perhaps it was nerves. Perhaps he was really tearing up inside, following, by his account, the previous three sleepless nights. Perhaps he simply toed the line carefully this time, seeing how costly a misinterpretation can be. I don’t know. I just found it odd. But I do know this: When Guillen says he was misinterpreted (and he blames himself for not communicating appropriately in English what he was thinking in Spanish), I believe him. That is a difficult man to understand, especially when you consider he is a notorious ranter, which was on full display Tuesday.
Ozzie Guillen is honest, if nothing else. That’s why it’s easy to make a judgment on his news conference. There’s no reading between the lines. The man is blunt at the core, to a fault obviously. There is no gray; it’s black and white with him. I understand how much he hurt people, particularly in Miami (I cannot stress enough how idiotic it was for him to say what he said where he said it, as the interview took place in Jupiter, Fla., site of the Marlins’ spring training camp). Those people feel betrayed. They’re mad. They’re angry. They’re insulted. Here was someone like them, someone who could relate to them, and he spit in their faces. It sickens me, even, when I saw the ignorant voices on Twitter making a mockery of the whole situation, making light of the whole circumstance. I’m far from Cuban-American, but even I understand what damage was done. It’s a serious situation, and Guillen knows it. It’s why I appreciate what he did. I believed every word of Tuesday’s verbal apology letter. I admire that he spoke from the heart (no prepared written statement). I respect he made it public and open to not only all media, but citizens of the community. But there are people still suffering emotionally from what he said, or what the writer interpreted him to say. And that matters, too. Greatly. It’s an open wound, still very much raw.
While I detest what Guillen said, no questions asked, the way he approached the situation and handled it Tuesday only made me like him more. I still don’t know how I feel about that, because what he said was beyond insensitive, but I do. He stood up to the fire, accepted full responsibility and opened his heart. That’s not easy for anyone to do, let alone someone like Guillen who speaks his mind, trusts his gut and lays it all on the table, going about live with a distinct bravado that can often be interpreted as a “better than thou” attitude. He could have backtracked, could have easily blamed the writer, could have denied it, could have done whatever … but he didn’t. He attacked it as a professional and as a man. As we go forward, however, words – no matter how heartfelt and meaningful – won’t mean a thing. It will be Ozzie Guillen’s actions that people will be keeping an eye on.
Over the past few months, I’ve become more engrossed in the world of advanced statistics, particularly in regard to the NBA. I’ve always had a passion for sports statistics and numbers, ever since my days as a kid when I’d collect the box scores out of newspapers to add up things like point totals and shooting percentages, but I’ve been feeling the need more and more lately to ask “Why?” I watch games these days, notice trends, and the next thing I know I’m at my computer hoggling hoopdata.com or basketballvalue.com or whatever in search of an explanation for said trends. It’s turned sports into a science for me. I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.
One of the things that make sports so awesome is the magic. Too many times we’ve seen situations we’ve deemed impossible occur. We don’t know why or how. All of a sudden, that .200 hitter hits a couple of bombs to win a game, or that .287 long-range shooter drills a 3-pointer to win a championship game. It’s wondrous and fantastic at the same time; it’s a reason we’re adamant about watching games in their entirety. The worst thing that can happen to a sports fan is them missing something they’ll remember the rest of their lives. But nowadays, with technology at such an unthinkable level, we have analysts and bloggers and mathematicians wanting to tell us why those things happen. They’ll tell us that that .200 hitter hits .455 in day games with the the stadium half full, which they’re certain led to his bombs. Or they’ll tell us that that .287 long-range shooter actually shoots .389 when pulling up for a 3-pointer with more than 17 seconds remaining on the shot clock in games decided by five or fewer points. It can completely disrupt and destroy your child-like innocence. We love that a poor shooter can ultimately decide a championship game! We love that a poor hitter who hasn’t hit a home run in his last 56 games can all of a sudden drill a few for no apparent reason off a future Hall of Famer. It’s what makes sports great. We’ve come to expect – and embrace – the unexpected.
That is precisely why I tread with caution in using advanced stats. There is such a thing, in this man’s eyes, as knowing TOO much. What I use advanced stats for is to help me ultimately understand a greater whole, specifically behind teams or players. The key word there is “help.” It’s not the end-all, be-all, because it’s still my opinion that the “eye test” prevails above all, especially if you’re knowledgeable about a sport and can comprehend what you’re seeing and all that goes into it at an above average understanding. Numbers and stats can assist in understanding, but on a moderate level. What I have found is that having a good grasp on advanced stats and applying them to situations fans can understand is crucial when you’re trying to make a name in blogging or sports writing in any venture, which is why so many writers go that route these days. Since February 12, I have been editor of spacecityscoop.com, a fan site of the Houston Rockets for fansided.com. I had to find a way to make our site unique and not regenerate the same bunk as other fan sites, so I embraced articles on advanced stats, hopefully allowing fans a look into why the team performs a certain way. For example, we’ve taken a look at the effect of Goran Dragic or Kyle Lowry in the starting lineup. We’ve taken a look at the different offensive and defensive schemes that work and don’t work for the Rockets, and their success rate with each. Yes, we offer opinion and analysis, but we also look to educate our audience.
Is this good? Is it a good thing to force sports fans to think more, when we’re generally perfectly fine about evaluating teams and players by what we see? I’m not sure. As a fan, I would be interested, but that’s because as I’ve grown older, I do want to know why things operate like they do. I want to know why teams react in certain situations and which areas of the court a player thrives in. However, I certainly treasure the precocious desire to not being open to knowing more than what we should. I see how it takes away from being a sports fan. We want to watch games with a relatively open mind, on the edge of our seats because we know that the next at-bat or the next snap or the next shot could be one that we’ve never seen before. Most of us don’t want numbers to show us. Let the games do that. Duh.
So, to be honest, I don’t know where I stand on advanced stats. I feel these days they’re being pushed down our throats. I understand their significance, and when applied appropriately with the accurate amount of salt taken, I even find them necessary. However, we’re teetering on that edge where WAR and PER and true shooting percentage are taking away from the sport’s innocence. And in that regard, it’s very possible advanced stats aren’t worth it at all.
Brittney Griner, with the ball, has not only been a champion on the court, but off it as well since an ugly incident in Lubbock her freshman year. (AP PHOTO)
Aside from the atrocious court that made a relatively unwatchable game even more unwatchable on Tuesday, history was also made at the Pepsi Center in the women’s NCAA championship game between Baylor and Notre Dame.
The Lady Bears breezed past the Irish with swift, though not surprising, ease. Baylor won 80-61 in a game that was probably not even that close; a contest that was more representative of an exhibition than a competitive tilt between two No. 1 seeds. That’s what happens when Baylor has 6-foot-8 junior phenom Brittney Griner on its team. I’ve heard the comparisons between Griner and men’s champ Kentucky’s Anthony Davis, but don’t be fooled. While both are dominating shotblockers who can completely control a game without taking a single shot or scoring a single point, Griner is the face of women’s hoops. There will be another Anthony Davis someday. It is highly unlikely there will be another Brittney Griner. Davis thrives in a sport that is rich in tradition, in its skill, in its magic. Griner stands tall — literally — in a sport that cries for attention, one few take seriously. It’s why the game needs Griner more than Griner needs the game. She has an opportunity to be its salvation.
Griner had 26 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks against the Irish and led a crusade that ended with Baylor as the lone NCAA-era team to ever go 40-o in a season. That’s pretty remarkable. Whether it’s intramurals softball, putt-putt golf or women’s college basketball, 40-0 is 40-0. It’s extraordinary. It’s this man’s opinion that there have been more talented teams than Baylor in the past, such as past champs at UConn and Tennessee, but for this particular squad to be the first to accomplish something like this speaks to its anchor in Griner, who says all the right things and plays and acts with embarrassing unselfishness, almost to a fault. Ever since she slugged an opposing Texas Tech player her freshman year in March 2010, Griner seems to have done what we all hope to achieve when we make mistakes: she learned from it. It was the wakeup call in an introductory collegiate campaign that spewed a history of boastful, stare-you-down moments from her, as this ESPN.com attests. Even if that Texas Tech player tried to throw Griner to the floor while wrestling for position, ultimately resulting in a punch that broke her nose, it was no excuse, and it forced Griner to grow up quickly. Odds are she had a lot of people in her ear in the days, weeks and months after the moment, but it’s up to the individual whether or not they want to truly change things. Give her credit, for she did. She now boasts poise and control against opponents’ strongest holds, clutches, swings or any other assortment of physical punishment. And it’s because of how she responded from that ugly punch.
It was a significantly black moment, that March 3 in Lubbock, and one that led many to shake their heads and dismiss Griner as an ungrateful “thug” who simply has been catered to all her life. What Griner did was prove us wrong. She’s learned to adapt. In spite of facing triple and quadruple teams every single night, being beaten upon, pounded and harassed within the confines of the rules of the game, she has responded admirably, letting her game do the talking and refusing to bite the bait. It can be argued that that incident in Lubbock two years ago was the best thing that could have happened to Brittney Griner. It’s hard to say these days she is not an example of professionalism, class and grace. It’s too easy to want to root for her these days, even if 24 months ago we all viewed her as nothing more than another pompous athlete that felt entitled to anything and everything. These days she speaks sincerely about how it’s about her teammates and coaches, about how she’d be nothing without them. Only her closest family, friends and her teammates rallied around her following the punch, and now she rallies around them. It’s been incredible to watch Griner’s personal transformation.
In lieu of all the jokes made about the tone of her voice or about her looks or about whether she should forego her senior year to enter the NBA Draft, Griner has taken it all in stride, and you don’t learn how to deal with such constant scrutiny if you’re not humbled at some point. Aside from her tremendous skills on the court, with her nifty spins on the baseline or soft touch around the rim, it’s her character that make her easy to cheer on. She is the ultimate embodiment of “we, not me,” and and now she has a piece of history as well as a national championship as a reward. Griner is the definition of a game-changer, and the seven dunks in what has been an illustrious college career – not to mention the 52 she had as a senior in high school at Nimitz in Houston – and all the record shot-blocking numbers play only a teeny small part. The essence of Brittney Griner paints a bigger picture.
I’ll end with a statement I never thought would be even whispered two years ago, a claim that seems outlandish then just as it is truthful now: The world needs more Brittney Griners. And it has little to do with basketball.
The past few days have been an absolute whirlwind in sports, complete hysteria. It’s March Madness alright, but we’re not talking about college hoops … yet.
Manning to the Broncos? Tebow to the Jets? Ryan to the Eagles? The hammer to the Saints? It’s taken this long just for me to process it all, so let’s take a look at what went on and evaluate an NFL landscape that has dramatically altered, taking the sports world by storm … and games haven’t even been played.
Peyton Manning is a Denver Bronco, much to the delight of executive VP John Elway (right) and team owner Pat Bowlen. (AP PHOTO).
I can hardly blame them. As much as I am a fan of Tim Tebow, as much as I think he’s only approached the tip of his potential, the Broncos relentless pursuit of – and ultimately acquiring – Peyton Manning made sense. No-brainer. I’d do it 10 out of 10 times.
In the end, it was a positive for both sides, one of those rare deals where everyone involved walked into better (healthier?) circumstances. Broncos executive VP John Elway, a legend in Colorado, got the prototypical quarterback he desired, and he doesn’t even have to face the wrath of fans for it, either. It’s no secret he was as off the Tebow bandwagon as anyone. Deep down, I’m sure he loathed Tebow going 8-4 last season and earning a brilliantly dynamic playoff win over the Steelers at home. Elway is a quarterback’s quarterback. He wants three and five step drops. He wants multiple reads. He wants audibles. He wants comfort in the pocket, tight spirals and the ball to fly gracefully out of his signal-caller’s hand. To Elway, and a lot of others, you can’t win playing quarterback the way Tim Tebow does. You can’t win scrambling, misfiring on slants and owning an obscure throwing motion. You can’t win having to rely on your legs and not your arm when you play the game’s premier position. Yet, Tebow did. That was Elway’s greatest nightmare. Consider Manning his salvation.
The Broncos tossed a lot of dough (5 years, $95 million; $58 million guaranteed; $18 million fully guaranteed) at a quarterback who’s had four neck surgeries in the last 18 months. They committed to a four-time MVP, one-time Super Bowl champ who has damaged nerves; one who has a .474 postseason winning percentage compared to 67.8 in the regular season. All it takes is one hit. One devastating hit, and it’s possible Manning’s Broncos career is over before it ever begins. Yes, Manning only gets sacked on 3.1 percent of his drop-backs, the second-lowest of all-time, but since undergoing the neck surgeries, he has shown nothing to make anyone think he will be the old Peyton Manning. There has not been one shred of evidence that even remotely would lend one toward justifying such a big risk by Denver. The Broncos rolled the dice. They gambled, and as much as they’d like to convince you it’s a sure gamble, it’s not. In my opinion, it’s not worth it. The risk is too great for a declining quarterback who has seen his passer rating drop from 121.1 in 2004 to 91.9 in 2010.
But Elway wanted no part of Tebow. He needed an out. Manning was exactly that.
Tim Tebow defeated Mark Sanchez and the Jets in a game last season. Now he'll be teaming up with Sanchez in New York. (AP PHOTO)
So now, Tebow finds himself a New York Jet, having been acquired from Denver for a fourth-round pick and a sixth-round pick. And when I say the whole Broncos/Manning/Tebow shebang worked out for all parties, I mean it. Tebow finds himself in a great situation.
The most polarizing story of 2011, Tebow comes to a Jets team whose head coach (Rex Ryan) and offensive coordinator (Tony Sparano) are all strong advocates of the wildcat offense; Sparano specifically employing the system and bringing it full throttle into the league while head coach of Miami in 2008. The Jets had a player who thrived in that wildcat role in Brad Smith a few years ago, before Smith bolted for Buffalo after the 2010 season. Smith was like Tebow, a quarterback with a strong deep ball who was more comfortable scrambling and making plays on his feet. It was a sound change of pace for New York, and it missed that desperately in 2011. What Tebow brings is unpredictability to juice up an otherwise iffy offense. He helps their goal-line offense tremendously, and Ryan is reportedly salivating at the thought of what his new toy can do. It’s my belief Sparano and Tebow will be a perfect partnership.
So what does this mean for incumbent Mark Sanchez? It certainly adds more pressure. Sanchez was subpar last season, if not downright erratic, and has not been the most stable of presences during his tenure in New York. He is brutally inconsistent, teammates have spoken out against him, and he appears to be a mixed bag, on and off the field. Trust that the Tebow move was made for on the field as much as it was off it. The Jets are hoping Tebow’s work ethic, spirit and toughness wears off on Sanchez. Essentially, they want it to light a fire under him. Tebow is a competitor’s competitor. Sanchez, by all accounts, is not. I have my doubts that Sanchez will last the complete two remaining years as the Jets’ quarterback. Would not surprise me if Tebow was to eventually hurdle him on the depth chart. Sanchez has some maturing to do, and he has to do it quickly. We know one thing: Tebow has proven to command a locker room. Sanchez has failed miserably in that regard.
Don’t get it twisted. Tim Tebow is absolutely a threat to Mark Sanchez’s job. The Jets will try to put a halt on those thoughts early and often, but who are they fooling?
When it’s all said and done, I absolutely love this move. Jacksonville, of course, would have been a logical fit for Tebow as well, and were a finalist for his services, but the Jaguars are headed nowhere. The franchise is a dead end. Yes, Tebowmania would have filled seats and brought some energy, but that may have lasted for, what, one season? And then what? Fans are smart. They won’t keep supporting a loser, and the Jaguars don’t look to be turning the corner anytime soon. Not to mention that Jacksinville’s GM and coach wanted nothing to do with Tebow; only the owner was gung-ho on him. So the situation would have been similar to Denver’s, a toxic situation where the people in charge clearly did not want him there.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Denver apparently allowed Tebow his choice of destination, and Tebow picked the Jets. Makes sense to me, and not only because of the last point of being wanted. The Jets are a lot closer to winning, have a solid, established coaching staff, and fit right into Tebow’s game as much as the Jaguars do. Both teams want to run the ball, control tempo and let their defense work. But, even in the rigid AFC East, the Jets are a lot closer to a Super Bowl than Jacksonville is in one of the weakest divisions in football. Don’t believe for one second that winning did not factor at all into this equation for Tebow.
Before we leave the Topic of Tebow, one last concern I potentially see: We all want to see if Tebow can develop as a quarterback. We all want to see if he can hone his throwing motion, fine-tune his passing and improve his accuracy and as a threat in the pocket. To do that, however, he needs reps. He has yet to have a full season as a starter, and already he’s headed off to a new team amidst talks of his use as a dynamo in a wildcat package. To develop as a quarterback, Tebow needs reps. He needs starts. My concern is, in New York, he will be confined to a role as a specialist and that will severely stunt his growth. I guess what I’m trying to say it’s very possible we may never find out if Tim Tebow is a starting quarterback in the NFL. He has to be given the reins, and obviously he won’t be getting them anytime soon in New York.
Then again, he’ll be playing behind Mark Sanchez and Drew Stanton. So perhaps he’ll get that chance sooner than he thinks.
As much sense as it made financially to trade DeMeco Ryans to the Eagles, the Texans managed to upset many of their players and fans in the process, continuing an offseason that has only seen a gouging of the roster and talent to this point. (AP PHOTO)
It makes sense. That’s what I hate about it so much, and yes, I do know that ‘hate’ is a strong word. The Texans traded defensive captain and longtime stalwart DeMeco Ryans to the Eagles earlier this week for a fourth-rounder, as well as swapping third-round spots, moving up 12 places in this year’s draft.
Despite being injured and playing fewer snaps in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense, the inside linebacker was idolized in the Texans’ locker room. He was the leader of the defense. He was the engineer. He was the commander. He held everyone’s respect.
It was like the Lakers trading Derek Fisher. In fact, that’s the perfect analogy, right down to the part where it made sense for the Lakers to make that move. The Texans traded the heart and soul of an up-and-coming defense. He’s a class act. Sometimes you just need to keep hanging on to players like those. They’re important. They mean something.
The reason Houston did it, I can’t necessarily argue with. While they take a $2 million hit on this year’s salary cap, they clear $9 million for next season, when they need as much dough as possible to sign the likes of quarterback Matt Schaub, linebacker Connor Barwin (Houston’s new Mario Williams) and left tackle Duane Brown. I understand it. I get it. But there is no way to rid the emotion of this. No way.
Ryan WAS a Houston Texan. He defined what the team stands for: class, dignity, leadership, accountability. He has a lot of football left in him. You just don’t trade players like DeMeco Ryans. He’s a part of your fabric. He’s a part of who you are. People are quick to say how he only played 57 percent of the snaps in a defensive scheme he didn’t fit in, but that was Year 1 of said defense. I would assume defensive coordinator Wade Phillips would find a spot for a healthy Ryans. Can we not just let things play out? Should we really be rushing to judgment after one season, particularly one when Ryans was not at full health? People are quick to turn players away who didn’t fit into a new scheme. Schemes progress. They improve. They adjust. It was a bit hasty to discard such a beloved figure after just 16 games in a new alignment, with hardly any sort of training camp to boot, mind you.
So now I have to root for the Eagles. Because I root for Ryans. It was an absolutely tremendous move by Philly, the clear winners of this deal. And while I am disappointed in the Texans, I understand it. But I also understand this: Already three starters are gone from last year’s AFC South champions, one unexpectedly in Eric Winston. The holes have gotten bigger. Now they need offensive linemen, a linebacker, a top notch wideout and probably a kicker too, since it’s likely Neil Rackers is a goner as well. While this offseason has been admirable financially in dealing with the cap and resources, there is no doubt the roster and talent, at this moment, has been significantly gouged. Momentum has taken a huge hit. Do I expect the draft and some free agents here and there to address some of the issues? Of course. Fortunately, the Texans can get away with all the early big blows to personnel, since they play in one of the weakest divisions, if not THE weakest. But Houston should not be in it just to win the division. They need to be eyeing the Super Bowl. It’s like the first moment they experience vast success, they don’t know how to respond to it.
Just like the Ryans move, I can say the same about this offseason so far: I understand it, yes. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.
The NFL dealt the Saints a big blow Wednesday, suspending head coach Sean Payton (left) for the 2012 season, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (right) indefinitely and GM Mickey Loomis for eight games of the season.
Their head coach, Sean Payton, is suspended for the entire 2012 season.
Their general manager, Mickey Loomis, is suspended for the first eight games of the 2012 season.
Their assistant coach, Joe Vitt, is suspended for the first six games of the 2012 season.
Two second-round draft picks (one this year, one next) are gone.
They were fined $50,000.
Their former defensive coordinator, Greg Williams (currently St. Louis’ DC) was suspended indefinitely and will be re-evaluated after the 2012 season.
Ladies and gentlemen, bounties are bad. And for the New Orleans Saints, the victim of all the above, it’s REALLY bad. A franchise two years removed from winning a Super Bowl finds itself in complete devastation. As it should.
After a thorough, exhaustingly-detailed investigation, the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell handed out an unprecedented punishment Wednesday for a franchise that was caught employing a bounty system – with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams leading the charge and encouraging it, and assistant Joe Vitt having knowledge of it, and head coach Sean Payton having knowledge of it – that targeted key players such as Brett Favre, Cam Newton and Kurt Warner, at least dating back to the 2010 season when Williams arrived.
According to an Associated Press report, the NFL said the scheme involved 22 to 27 defensive players and specifically targeted quarterbacks. ”Knockouts” were worth $1,500 and “cart-offs” $1,000, with payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs.
Via SI.com: According to the league, head coach Sean Payton ignored instructions from the NFL and Saints ownership to make sure bounties weren’t being paid. The league also chastised him for choosing to “falsely deny that the program existed,” and for trying to “encourage the false denials by instructing assistants to `make sure our ducks are in a row.”‘
It is simply unbelievable, but not entirely unexpected. The big deal here is not that the system existed, but that it was an organizational operation. It’s one thing for players to do it, but for coaches to be involved is a whole other matter. The league was also lied to, and if there’s one thing that really irks Goodell, it’s a coverup. You could even argue that this is even bigger than the fact it was an organizational issue. The Saints had been told repeatedly to put a stop to this. They didn’t. They then tried to cover it up before backtracking when they were caught in too deep. Just like the Michael Vick case, if you lie to Roger Goodell, it will not be a happy ending. And the Saints scoffed at the league’s warnings, lied and then tried to cover it up. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever.
I am completely on board with Goodell’s decision. You can say a bounty pool is a part of football. You can say the game is getting meek. You can say how this is no longer our fathers’ football. Whatever. You’re dealing with livelihoods. You’re participating in a professional work environment with the intent to injure. That’s a no-no. You’re dealing with livelihoods.
Let me say that again. You’re dealing with livelihoods.
You can take all that macho nonsense and tell me how we might as well play flag football. And I’ll tell you that if grown men cannot play a child’s game for millions of dollars without intending to hurt somebody, maybe they need to go find another gig. It’s stupid. These are millionaires willing to hurt their peers for even more money. Greed and recklessness is at the heart of this issue, and I applaud Goodell for dealing with it appropriately.
I feel bad for Saints fans. But that’s it, and , heck, maybe I don’t feel so bad since they got a Super Bowl out of it. I feel bad for owner Tom Benson, who, by all reports, had no idea this was taking place and was not involved. But, either way, the franchise got what it deserved, and thankfully there is a commissioner who has the guts to do what it takes, no matter to what extreme. Remember, Goodell works for the owners. And he still took a machete to Benson’s team’s foundation. Good for Goodell. Good for the game. Good riddance (hopefully) to bounty systems.
Kaleb Canales, the pride of Laredo, Texas, finds himself in the limelight as the interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. (AP PHOTO)
I met Kaleb Canales in the summer of 2009. As sports editor of the Laredo Morning Times, a small daily newspaper on the border in Laredo, Texas, I had received word that Canales would be in town for the first of what would be his annual summer basketball camps in his hometown.
I was enthused. As an NBA aficionado, to know that someone affiliated with a team, in this case the Portland Trail Blazers, was coming to town was a story I craved, particularly in the ho-hum days of summer when storylines are few and wire reports are many. Still, I did not know what to expect. My experience dealing with pros has been fair. They answer a few questions, but almost always cut things short. After all, got things to do and people to see, right?
When I walked into the gym of Alexander High – Canales’ alma mater, where he finished his high school career after spending two years at United High – I waited in the bleachers. The turnout was respectable, maybe 100-125 kids in attendance, and instantly I spotted Canales, a human Red Bull sprinting around giving directions, clapping every 10-20 seconds it seemed, and a broad smile never once leaving his face. Eventually he came around to me, during the middle of the camp, apparently eyeing a new face. Before I could utter a word, he introduced himself. I introduced myself and we talked, spending 20-30 minutes on a variety of subjects, basically being given his life story. Throughout the entire time, his answers were short, yet spirited. Countless times, he boasted how his rise — as a 5-foot-11 graduate assistant coach at UT-Arlington, to assistant coach at Martin and United high schools in Laredo, and to becoming a video intern with the Blazers in 2004 and, at that time, now a video coordinator with Portland — was a “blessing.” He thanked God early and often, and you could tell he was genuine. It’s what I imagine it’s like talking to Tim Tebow, who is also joyful and authentic in his ways. This was who Canales was, someone eternally grateful for the opportunities thrown his way, and paying back that gratitude with the way he treated others, as if they were a part of his own family.
From that point, Kaleb and I exchanged contact information and we talked maybe once or twice every six months, though we talk a bit more often now. I always covered his camps when he came the following years, and eventually met other NBA folks – like current Minnesota scout Pat Zipfel, who worked with Kaleb when the latter was an intern in Portland – who sung Kaleb’s praises to no end. Whether it was Zipfel, LaMarcus Aldridge or Jerryd Bayless – all individuals Kaleb brought to Laredo to help assist his camps – there was never a bad word mentioned about him. Two things were always brought up in any conversation regarding Kaleb: His relentless work ethic (he often sleeps in the practice facility and hardly ever sees his apartment) and his uplifting attitude, which can inspire the most solemn of Debbie Downers, this I assure you.
It should surprise no one that, aside from his youth camps every summer, Canales also hosted private sessions with any local high school coach or player who wanted to attend, drilling the players and letting friends like Zipfel offer their knowledge to the coaches. The turnout for these particular camps was significant, probably 200-300 for an event that was not advertised or promoted (on Canales’ want) in order to not have distractions and so that he could work with the local talent on a one-on-one basis.
So to see Canales now as the head coach of the Blazers on an interim basis as of Thursday is not entirely surprising. Kaleb is an individual who has worked tirelessly to get to this point, never cutting corners and never making excuses. When he talks to the media, he speaks in cliche (and I will say he has improved drastically in that regard since I first talked to him that summer), but when I joked with him about that, we both acknowledged that cliches exist because they are true in some form, and many people abide by them. So when he talks about focusing on just that night’s game, or staying “in the moment”, he’s being honest. It’s not coachspeak, at least not in his instance. It’s Kaleb. Although, I did witness a sort of media breakthrough last summer when Canales allowed a photo shoot to be arranged for a feature story. He bounced into the gym (he does bounce, not walk), and said, “D, buddy, I don’t do this for anyone other than you … ” and we shared a handshake. Throughout the entire shoot, I told Kaleb, who later beat me by a letter in a game of H-O-R-S-E, how appreciative I was.
Kaleb is a man of integrity and honor. As a result, he is well-respected, having represented the NBA and its Basketball Beyond Borders program last summer in Brazil (which precious few are given the honor to go) and having been inducted into the National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame last fall. The greatest thing you can say about him is that, in a profession of tireless, driven, obsessive individuals, Kaleb is regarded by his peers as the hardest worker of them all.
Over the years, I managed to write more than my fair share of stories while covering Kaleb, who is beloved and adored in Laredo, for obvious reasons. I’d like to share some of my favorites so that you get a better idea of the youngest head coach currently walking the sidelines in the NBA. Photos are courtesy of the Associated Press:
Making it big: Laredoan gives back to community
By DENNIS SILVA II LAREDO MORNING TIMES Published: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 8:09 AM CDT
Kaleb Canales, an assistant coach/video coordinator for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, has more in common with Laredo youngsters than just a love for hoops.
He, too, was once one of them.
The former Alexander High grad, who was a member of the Bulldogs’ first ever graduation class and an assistant coach at Martin and United, has never forgotten his roots.
He returned home this summer to conduct his first series of basketball camps at Alexander and LBJ High. From Thursday through Monday of last week, Canales hosted approximately 100 kids a day, for eight hours each day, and taught his hometown’s youth the game he loves so deeply, hoping one day they end up just like him.
“For him to do this says a lot,” said Martin High head basketball coach Hecky Noyola, who played against Canales in high school and is one of his best friends.
“Guys in Kaleb’s position are busy throughout the whole year.
“For him to do this in his one or two weeks off a year means a lot to these kids and community.”
Gateway upbringing
Noyola and Canales met when Noyola was in high school, playing ball at Martin.
Canales was two grades older than Noyola.
He went to high school his first two years at United before moving to Alexander, when it first opened. He was a role player throughout his high school career, but he had his moments, such as a few 20-point outings, as well as a deadly go-to move.
“He had one signature move that nobody could stop … we called it the ‘Canales shuffle’,” Noyola said, laughing. ”He’d get on the low block, turn, quick fake and everybody would fall for it. He’d take one dribble and score.
“He was always getting people with that move.”
Canales grins at the mention of the move.
“It was my only move in the post,” he said with a smile. ”Guys were always so intent on blocking me, so I’d get them up and go in and score a layup.”
After graduating as part of the first senior class from Alexander, Canales went to Laredo Community College, but was still around high school basketball.
During Noyola’s senior year at Martin, Canales, whenever he had time, helped out as an unofficial team manager, washing uniforms and doing the scorebook, or whatever was necessary to stay involved in the game.
He went on to eventually graduate from the University of Texas-Arlington, where he spent one year as a manager while Noyola was a player, before serving on coach Bobby Cruz’s staff for one year at Martin.
From there, he moved to United with Cruz, now the athletic director for the United Independent School District, before returning to UTA for an assistant’s job for a year.
After that, Canales served as an intern with the Trail Blazers, and was promoted to video coordinator after head coach Maurice Cheeks was dismissed in March 2005.
Canales served in that capacity until the 2008-09 season, when he was named assistant coach/video coordinator.
He is primarily responsible for video work, scouting of opponents and player development.
“It’s incredible to see his dreams come true,” Noyola said. ”I remember when he was younger, he used to always tell us he’d be on SportsCenter, as a sports anchor. He’d write letters to ESPN and ask how he could get a job.
“It’s just funny, because now he’s on SportsCenter, but as a coach.
“When they give highlights of the Blazers games, there’s Kaleb, coaching the NBA guys.”
Big-game star
It seems Canales’ career has been that of a dream.
“It’s like a book,” he said. “I’m extremely blessed. I think I’ve done it the right way, as far as pecking order.
“I’m just trying to learn and pay my dues right now so I can get where I want to be, a head coach in the NBA.”
The 31-year-old Canales has certainly put in the work to achieve that lofty goal.
This summer alone, he has spent time in Indiana (working out with Blazers center Greg Oden), Austin (with Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge), Oregon (with Roy) and Spain (with Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez).
“It’s like high school, it just blows by so quickly,” Canales said. ”My career has been like that. I’ve just tried to stay humble, work hard and enjoy the process.”
Asked if he was still starry-eyed from the fact he’s a Laredoan working amongst the game’s best, Canales smiled.
“At the end of the day, those guys are kids and you just want to coach them,” he said.
“You just want them to get better. Initially, when I got to the league, I was taken aback, but the bottom line is coaching and teaching.
“You coach them just like you’d coach United and Martin kids.”
Canales did note, however, that the NBA is a whole different world in regard to pure basketball ability.
“It’s day and night,” he said. “First, these guys have God-given gifts. They’re so athletic, so strong, so fast. I mean, LaMarcus was here the past couple of days, and when we do our workouts, we work on 3-pointers … and he’s 6-foot-11! He’s 6-foot-11, shooting 3s, making 7 out of 10.
“The NBA is such where the big, huge guys can do what guards can do.”
Luis Valdez, an assistant coach during Canales’ time at Alexander and now the head coach of the Bulldogs, is not surprised at his former pupil’s success.
“His passion for the game was always evident,” Valdez said. ”He has not changed a bit.
“He has grown to be a wonderful man and a wonderful ambassador for basketball.”
Staying grounded
If there’s one thing Canales has kept in his memory banks from his Laredo days, it’s the coaching he received.
“One thing I learned is that you appreciate the things they did for us at that age,” he said. ”At that time, you may not agree with coaches and how they go about things, but as you grow up, you learn and start to understand why they did what they did.
“To this day, I keep up with all my coaches and the high school sports here in Laredo. I’m on lmtonline.com every day, all the time, because I still have a lot of love and appreciation for this city.”
Valdez said Canales’ story is one every Laredo hoopster with big dreams should abide by.
“Kids like Kaleb is what makes coaching worthwhile,” Valdez said. ”It’s not about the money or championships. It’s about kids like Kaleb coming back and saying ‘Thank you.’”
The talented coaching in Laredo is why Canales has a lot of faith in the future of basketball in the Gateway City.
“As a city, we don’t have great height, but our kids are skilled, they’re good and they play so hard,” he said. ”I think there’s a lot of skill here in Laredo, and Laredo basketball has a great future.”
Aside from being an exemplary basketball mind, Canales is also an affable and thoughtful person. It’s not uncommon for him to call Noyola before a big game, just to talk basketball. He never forgets birthdays, and he always calls Valdez for Father’s Day, or to speak with his daughter on her birthday.
“She calls him ‘Tío Kaleb’,” Valdez said with a laugh.
All around, Canales is a role model for Laredo in every aspect.
“He’s always been the hardest working guy and he does things 100 percent and the right way,” Noyola said. ”It’s good to see someone from Laredo succeed like this; it’s good for kids to see that anything is possible.”
Canales inspires Laredo hoops
By Dennis Silva II Gateway sports Published: Sunday, August 15, 2010 3:17 AM CDT
They came by the hundreds. Kids from all over Laredo, San Antonio and the Valley all rushed to the Gateway City last week for Kaleb Canales’ Assist XIII basketball camps that were held at LBJ and Alexander high schools.
By now, everyone is aware of Canales’ story. The Laredo native was a graduate of Alexander, went to Laredo Community College for a year and then embarked on a fast and furious road that eventually led him to where he is today, as the assistant coach of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.
Last week, during a lengthy stay in his hometown, Canales hugged, chatted, clapped, cheered, encouraged, motivated and excited a legion of supporters.
He brought in Blazers guard Jerryd Bayless, as well as high-ranking coaches and scouts from around the NBA.
Laredo’s ambassador
“Kaleb is an ambassador for Laredo,” said Houston Rockets advanced scout Patrick Zipfel.
And Zipfel should know. He worked with Canales when the two were with the Blazers a few years ago, and Canales was just a video intern.
Together, they shared 22-hour work days and grew a bond that is everlasting.
“Look at what he’s done,” Zipfel said, gesturing to the hundreds of kids and local high school coaches who listened under Canales. “Just look at what he’s done.”
If there is a more humble, kind and gentlemanly man in professional sports than Kaleb Canales, I have yet to meet him. He is a man of few words, but the few he speaks resonate strongly.
“I’m blessed,” he says whenever asked to talk about his unique situation from Laredoan to NBA coaching star. “I’ve been very blessed.”
Everywhere at once
Canales is a man in constant motion.
If he’s not mentoring kids on how to do a left-handed lay-up, he’s chatting with his “coaches” — who consist of Laredoans who desire to coach basketball one day — about the nuances of the game. If he’s not doing that, he’s talking with the media, doing video interviews, or merely just shooting the breeze.
This previous week was a tremendous opportunity for local basketball enthusiasts, and if Canales has his way, it will continue to be so every year in August whenever he takes a break from the grind of the NBA to make the trip back home.
Canales will be roaming the sidelines for the Blazers again this season, a year smarter after serving as the head coach of the Blazers’ summer league team in Las Vegas in early July (he won four games and lost one).
But Laredo will be there every step of the way with him. Already, the amount of Blazers paraphernalia seen around town is staggering, and that’s due to one man.
“I know everyone’s a Spurs fan,” Canales said with a grin, “but I’m seeing more red and black a lot lately.”
And that’s exactly how it should be.
Inducted: Laredo’s Canales enshrined
By DENNIS SILVA II LAREDO MORNING TIMES Published: Friday, September 16, 2011 2:17 AM CDT
As Kaleb Canales’ career ascends, so does recognition of his talents.
On Thursday evening, Canales – a Laredo native and current assistant coach with the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers – was inducted into the National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame at the organization’s 17th annual event in San Antonio.
“It’s extremely humbling,” Canales said early Thursday afternoon. “Talking to (founder) Mr. (Raul) Zuniga, who I’ve known for a couple of years, I do know he’d mentioned he was following me and keeping track of my career.
“To be in a hall of fame is a privilege and an honor.”
Canales was one of six honorees on Thursday, and one of four who were awarded for their accomplishments in athletics. The organization is run by the Latinos In Action Sports Association and its mission of providing opportunities for students in various high schools for college support.
Latinos In Action, according to a press release, “inducts individuals who have made a name and example for all the youths of our nation.”
“It’s really exciting for my family, just to see the smiles on their faces,” said Canales, who was joined by his father and mother at Thursday’s induction. “I love seeing that, more than anything else. They put as much sacrifice, just as much as I have.”
Canales said that, while being a Hispanic has not provided particular obstacles toward his career’s growth, he does have more than a mere chip on his shoulder
“It’s more like a brick,” he said with a laugh. “We all get motivated and we’re all competitive and I’ve definitely found things to make me work harder. I’m just like anybody else, man; I get motivated by different things.”
Canales, 33, graduated from Alexander High – where he played as a 5-foot-10 power forward and was part of its first graduating senior class – and quickly climbed the coaching ranks, rising from team manager after graduating at UT-Arlington, to assistant high school coach back in Laredo at Martin and United, to video intern with the Blazers.
He was promoted full-time with the Blazers in March 2005 and served in that capacity until 2008-09, when he was promoted again to assistant coach/video coordinator.
This summer, Canales was chosen by the NBA to be part of its distinguished “Basketball Without Borders” campaign, coaching young kids in Brazil.
“His passion for the game was always evident,” said Luis Valdez, now Alexander’s head boys’ basketball coach who was an assistant there when Canales played. “He has not changed a bit. He has grown to be a wonderful man and a wonderful ambassador for basketball.”
Latinos in Action has awarded more than $90,000 worth of scholarships since it was initially founded in 1989. Also inducted alongside Canales on Thursday were Natalie Gamez (St. Mary’s University All-American basketball player), Tony Moreno (two-time National Golden Gloves champion) and John Luna (former Southwest Texas all-conference pick and San Antonio Toros player).
Receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards for Community Service were Wal-Mart executive Robert Romo and the former Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez.
Canales will return to Portland on Saturday and get back to the weekly coaches’ meetings the Blazers are holding.
Finally game time for Kaleb and the NBA
By Dennis Silva II Gateway sports Published: Sunday, December 25, 2011 3:28 AM CST
A hurried and bustling 66th NBA season tips off today.
With that comes the annual reminder the past eight years that a Laredoan will once again roam the sidelines, overseeing the best of the best in an effort to take advantage of a compressed 66-game schedule.
Alexander High graduate and former Martin and United coach Kaleb Canales will once again ply his trade as an assistant coach for the remodeled Portland Trail Blazers, who lost franchise guard Brandon Roy to retirement but gained veteran pieces in Jamal Crawford, Kurt Thomas and Craig Smith after flaming out in the first round of last year’s playoffs to eventual champ Dallas.
This particularly lengthy offseason – obscured by the childish antics of the NBA and its players association during the league’s second lockout in the past 11 years – served as a chance to get back to the basics for Canales, who was inducted into the National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame in September after serving as a league ambassador for its prestigious Basketball Without Borders program.
Broadening his horizons
More importantly, however, Canales was able to broaden his knowledge of the game. The boyish-faced 33-year-old visited the men’s basketball programs at Baylor, Oregon, Oregon State, University of Portland, Texas and TAMIU.
He met with coaches, sat in on practices and discussed new ideas and theories with some of the game’s best leaders.
“It was still very much a busy offseason,” Canales said late Thursday night as he prepped for Monday’s season opener against Philadelphia. “Getting the opportunity to go study different coaches and different programs in college basketball and going back and forth on ideas, philosophies and concepts … it was a great, great time and a blessing.”
Canales said it was a welcome time for his “personal growth and learning.” He also spent most of his offseason in Portland, meeting with coaches, developing game plans and basically doing whatever head coach Nate McMillan thought could help the team.
So when Canales got the call from McMillan 17 days ago that the lockout was officially done and over with, there was no panic. No rush. No heavy concern.
“We had prepared every day just like every other team,” Canales said. “We were ready to get back out there.”
Back to the game
The Blazers, and the rest of the league, rushed through a frenzied free agency period, though their biggest coup – the scoring dynamo Crawford – wasn’t secured until early last week during the team’s brief preseason schedule.
Fortunately, Canales said, the whole thing has been relatively smooth, which he credits Blazers veterans like LaMarcus Aldridge, Marcus Camby and Raymond Felton for.
At a time many thought would set teams back in regard to firmly setting a foundation for this season, the Blazers were perfectly fine.
“Just talking to Kurt, Jamal and Craig, they’ve said it feels seamless, as if they’ve been with us for awhile,” Canales said. “That’s a credit to the core of the team and it’s a credit to our training camp. We have veterans that know how to play and have been here awhile and they understand the challenges.
“We had a great training camp. Great collective spirit. Obviously the schedule will come fast and furious, but we’re prepared. Everything’s been going well. The guys have been wonderful about getting up to speed.”
The main difference in the shortened preseason was that the Blazers have gone with one long practice each day instead of McMillan’s preferred two-a-days.
It helps keep the Blazers rested and moving forward to win the battle of attrition and rest and recovery for a unique season that features the hated back-to-back-to-backs (three) and five games in one week.
“The schedule is always going to feel like it does. Games are always fast and furious,” Canales said. “It looks like a lot, but every team is faced with it. The one thing is being in basketball game-ready shape. That will be the biggest challenge, and the only way to do that is to play games.
“Everyone will be faced with that.”
Up in the air
Popular consensus is that the teams with an abundance of youth and depth stand the best chance to prevail this season.
Canales, however, doesn’t figure that to be necessarily the case.
“It’s hard to say,” he said. “I’ve been blessed enough to be in the NBA for eight years, and that’s why you play the games. You just never know. Every game presents a different challenge. I know for us, when we go on the road to the east coast, that first home game back is very much a challenge. You’re still on east coast time, and obviously stuff like that will come into effect pretty often this season.”
Headlines have fluttered this month as players have moved all over the place. Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler are now Los Angeles Clippers. Dwight Howard figures to not be an Orlando Magic much longer. Vince Carter and Lamar Odom are Dallas Mavericks.
It’s been a sea of change, particularly in the Western Conference, where the Mavs, Rockets, Spurs and Blazers reside.
“We’ve been so locked into camp and practice that it’s been difficult to keep up with everything,” Canales said. “But we see the stuff on SportsCenter and anytime it affects our conference we have interest in that. Like, for instance, adding someone like Chris Paul to a talented roster to a team that didn’t make the playoffs last year is something we’re aware of.
“We see what’s going on and when it’s the West, it does affect us.”
While some of the NBA gets started back up today, the Blazers, Rockets and Spurs won’t tip off until Monday. For fans, everything points to a season that’s very much up for grabs, with no true favorite, especially with the unpredictability of 66 games in 120 days.
For Canales and the rest of the league, however, it’s back to business as usual. And that is perhaps the best Christmas gift of all for NBA fans.
“It’s no different at all,” Canales said of a season beginning on Christmas Day. “The past couple of years we’ve actually played on Christmas, which is an honor. I remember always watching the NBA on Christmas when I was a kid and how big of a deal that was and I’m sure the teams playing this year are fired up.
“But we’re approaching this season no different from any other. It’s exciting.”
And some video work I’ve done of Kaleb:
August 11, 2010:
August 5, 2011:
Before I end this 4,400-word post, I want to specifically link to my favorite Kaleb story I wrote, the feature piece that I talked about in the introduction. It was more of a personal look into a man who shys from the spotlight, yet was gracious as we enjoyed a two-hour discussion from everything, mostly his life and not so much basketball.
The story is on page 6-7 of the tabloid. Click on each page to enlarge it.
It’s such a great story. Inspiring, uplifting, magical, unbelievable … there’s not enough words to describe the gritty trek of a South Texas native up the ranks to the head coach of one of the NBA’s more prominent franchises. In fact, this blog likely does not do him justice. You have to meet him to understand how wonderful of an individual he is. I jokingly refer it to my wife as “The Kaleb Experience.” And what an experience it has been, all 34 years for the NBA’s freshest face.
Oh, by the way, Kaleb’s first game as head coach? A 100-89 win in Chicago over the Bulls on Friday. The story only gets better.
